The most non-commercial real deal Muay Thai kickboxing facility. In a male dominated sport I am so…read moreimpressed with the awareness of all Instructors with their students within the four walls of class & how they partner students up appropriately by skill level,it's mostly male dominated, but everyone treats you with the upmost respect, including holding you accountable to ensure that you give your All even as a female. I have never felt more comfortable and empowered in my life: I'm used to coach Ariel, who is amazing, and I dare to venture out to and today had Coach ED IN GLENDALE, when I arrived, I thought maybe I was in an advanced class and Coach Simmy held me accountable to believing in myself that I belonged in that class most importantly that I was capable. I don't know if it's the mission statement. I don't know if it's the core or business objectives of MTK, but the blueprint is clear from their NOHO location to Glendale. WINNERS WIN It takes a lot to impress me. I pay money not only to learn the skill, i you pay for the experience. Worth every penny. And you SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA KICKER! lol

I just finished my first class here and it was amazing. Very informative so I felt like I was…read morelearning a lot while also getting an insane workout that kicks your ass. It's not a boring commercial gym at all. Very real and raw. Coach Simmy was awesome and Jennifer at the front desk was so helpful!

I dropped in twice. First time I didn't stay for any training as the instructor said he wouldn't be…read moreinvolved that day. He said that was typical for weekends. Came back on a weekday and stayed for training... he was barely involved in training that day. I understand how someone might think he is rude but I wouldn't go that far, really he just comes off as checked-out and not interested in his gym / business. The session is about 1/3rd combat sport related. The other 2/3rds is light cardio drills you can do in your own home. The other attendees are more willing to help and with that I would say this place serves more of a sparring club than a serious training gym.

The Yard and Yoshi are excellent. This review will hopefully be helpful as an update to how class…read moreis run (since class has changed a little). First my background: I've trained Muay Thai for two years (first time was in April of 2022). I've trained at 7 gyms: FLMT (Florida Muay Thai , OC MT, Team Oyama, Classic Fight Team, Rising Suns Thai Boxing, NELA Combat Fitness, and Boxing Works. My home gym for the last year was Boxing Works under the instruction of Coach Bryan Popejoy, where I trained 3-4 days a week and did one on ones once a week for about 3 month. I would've stayed there however I recently moved to Northeast LA (Highland Park) and the drive to Torrence for BW was too much (about an hour to an hour and a half drive there and 40 minutes on the way home). Whereas the Yard is a 6-minute drive from me with ample sessions. Second, class style: Classes are Monday through Friday: 8-9:30, 10-11:30, 4-5:30, and 6-7:30pm and then two sparring classes on Saturday from 9-10:30 and 11-12:30. As far as I'm aware, Yoshi teaches each class and he does an excellent job. At other gyms, I feel much more advanced then I do at the Yard. Lots of basic bad habits that I got into are getting fine-tuned and corrected. A typical class is organized in four parts: (1) Cardio: A five minute round of jump ropes and then a 30 minute cardio session where we jog, sprint, do knees, teep across the mats. (2) Bagwork We then do several rounds of shadow boxing where Yoshi will make small adjustments to our form. From there, we all go on the heavy bags and practice whatever we want to work on for several rounds while Yoshi works one on one with us on pad/mitwork. This is where I think the Yard shines. If you go to a class with few students, you are essentially getting a free one on one. When you're not working one on one with Yoshi, you are working the bag. (3): Drills/Sparring From there, we work on a specific technique through partner drills and then light technical sparring. Yoshi is very attentive as he goes around and makes adjustments and suggestions. On Fridays the technique is clinch focused; which is really great. Many gyms in Southern California lack emphasis on the clinch. (4): Burnout/core work: We end with 3 minutes of ab/core work and then a minute plank. Sometimes we will burnout with skip knees on the bag. Overall: An excellent choice. I can't speak to how it would be for a beginner, as I came with two-years of experience. I imagine it would be a great place to start. Potential cons: I do not see people doing drills on thai pads (where one partner holds pads and the other hits). Typically, a Muay Thai class is 1 hour. At the Yard, it is 1.5 hours. Which means its a little more demanding. At this point, I cannot train every day even if my schedule allowed it because my body and cardio is just too shot. I imagine with time, that'll change.

I had been a member of RGLA for a while and the only reason I left was that I left the LA area…read more What I appreciated the most with RGLA was that there were so many offerings. I didn't just attend the jiu-jitsu class but went to yoga, judo and even the HIIT class. The only class I didn't take was their Muay Thai class, not because there wasn't an opportunity to but I wanted to focus on grappling. When I started they had just moved into their current space-they moved so there could be an outdoor space for classes during COVID and even after moving indoors after restrictions lifted they continually sought to improve the experience for their members. Even after I stopped being a dues paying member I was allowed to drop-in for free and still remembered and greeted fondly.

A total fraud gym. I tried to contact the gym to cancel my membership one week before the payment…read moredate, the number is not reachable except for an auto reply. I had to lock my card since I am out of town. Their number magically recovered and text me about not being about to process payment. Three days later they somehow got through the lock and charged me anyway. I tried to call again their number still not reachable. A complete fraud! DO NOT COME HERE!

I've been doing Muay Thai for 14 years, give or take…read more Most of that time was spent doing it one-on-one with trainers, which was awesome for personal attention and scheduling, but expensive and hard to stay consistent with. But they were able to be patient with me, to explain things repeatedly--I'm very visual and super literary but much less intuitive when it comes to athletics--and this helped me learn the basics of the art of Muay Thai. And then my last trainer got too busy to keep going. So I tried a bunch of Muay Thai gyms, never really finding anything that matched the return I got from 1-on-1 training. Then one day I spotted NELA Combat Fitness on a Figueroa corner and got intrigued. I tried a class and loved the energy of the space. Highland Park is a wildly creative area, and the experience at NELA Combat Fitness mirrors this: The people are diverse, upbeat, inclusive and very dedicated to the art of Muay Thai. You might find a 50+ year old like me training with someone in their early 20s, and this dynamic is always approached respectfully. Ed, the owner, is a true gem of a human being: warm, funny, and with deep history with and knowledge of Muay Thai, and he teaches with a razor sharp eye and the communication skills to help keep things safe and to level up your game. The gym itself is spotless, well-designed and comfortable. One way that the absolute courtesy with which the gym operates shows up is when we go return Thai pads or kick shields: cleaning wipes are shared and pads are stacked in an orderly way. Every teacher approaches class a little differently, but if you show up, know that you are in for a wonderful workout that is easily tailored to your skill level. The music is always different and always good. You will be inspired to push yourself beyond your limits, outside of your comfort zone. You will grow, you will sweat, and you will learn. And you will emerge a stronger person. And about Muay Thai overall? It's the best. I feel elevated and calm afterwards, able to take on anything life throws my way with compassion. That's the irony - punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing it out for an hour actually makes you a calmer, kinder person. Your baseline is reset and your cardio and strength gets better and better. I truly feel like I've found a gym that I want to stay a part of. Thank you, Ed, and thank you NELA Combat Fitness community.

If you're looking for a place that combines killer workouts with a welcoming community vibe, look…read moreno further! NELA Combat Fitness is IT! I was so pumped after my first class ever, I signed up straight after. Being a beginner myself, I was happy that everyone here took the time to show me how to do the moves. The kickboxing class was intense in the best way possible - a hard but awesome workout that left me feeling like a total champ. I have a long way to go in my journey, and girl I know it, but I couldn't have found a better place to go to. The owner, Ed, is incredible. You can really tell he cares deeply for the community as he's not just running a top-notch gym, he's building a fitness family. He was motivating and supportive, pushing everyone to give their best without ever losing the fun vibe. Shoutout to Derrick too for teaching me the moves in my first class! I can't wait to make this my new home for kicking and punching my way to a healthier me (and to release some after-work stress too)! See you on the mats!

Zenki Dojo has become my home away from home. When I'm not working, eating, or sleeping I'm at…read moreZenki training Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Zenki is part of the Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu network and all belt promotions are handed out by Rodrigo Gracie. Sensai Tim Santos along with Greg Hall, and Gavin Atkins, are great Jiu Jitsu instructors with a long history on the mats. The other schools in the network (Neutral Grounds in Long Beach / Pat King in Northridge) are also good places to visit and train. Neutral Grounds instructor, Evaldo Lima, also makes guest appearances to teach once in a while. Zenki offers many other classes, and they look great, but Jiu Jitsu is my thing. Even though I have dabbled in some cross fit, yoga, and personal training. Community is a big part of Zenki. Many of these people are great friends and it feel like family. Zenki isn't the largest or most up to date facility, but the size adds to the charm and builds character. See you on the mat. :) oh yeah.... Free yoga on Sunday!

This place is awesome!!! What a legendary neighborhood gym for everyone of all walks--all ages,…read moremale and female alike, all creeds and colors. Come here and learn how to be powerful and defend yourself.

Best gym in the area with the best trainers. Real Muay Thai gym! Been coming here 2 years and it's…read moregot me into the best shape of my life!

My rating is based off customer service . I went in with my…read moresibling to check this place out and hopefully sign him up. This was the second spot we were interested in b it unfortunately due to lack of no one greeting us or giving us information about the gym (we stood there for 5 minutes) we decided to just walk out.

The best coaches its been months im there i already feeling changes on me my body my strength speed…read morethanks coach Edmon and Levon

My teenage son goes here for boxing classes. I was told if we will be on vacation or absent for a…read morefew sessions, we can request them to delay billing for the next month, I emailed them twice and texted them twice and never heard back. I guess they don't want to honor what they promised.

Thank you Kru Puk for always pairing me with a partner whenever I was running late and by myself…read moreduring classes... Thank you to Kru Jonathan for always being an INSPIRATION...you a real one. I learned a lot at this gym, it was a great intro to Muay Thai. And? It was a BLAST! Super fun! -V

I used to come here in my late teens & returned recently. MTA provides an authentic Muay Thai…read moreexperience with instructors from straight from Thailand. Kru Puk, the founder, is one of the most genuine & most humble person you can meet. This place has a very rich history & has trained many champions. After-all it is the original Muay Thai Gym!

Absolutely recommend! First of all would like to say that…read morethis place will definitely motivate you to do your best. Thanks to amazing coaches and amenities available you will be able to achieve your goals quickly. The space is big and can accommodate decent amount of people. Do not hesitate go to Taejo

My girls , 9 & 11, just finished their first week here. They love coming and look forward to it…read more They are smiling during and after class. The coaches are great , patient and funny. My kids have no experience at all but I see they learned so much already In just 3 days. The only thing, Parking is a bit of a struggle. But other than that this place is awesome everyone is so welcoming. My girls get very sweaty In 45 minutes. We love it!

Legacy Glendale has been an awesome place to train and learn from Professor Jorge and the coaches…read morein the gym. There is definitely welcoming, family atmosphere in this gym that makes this a great place to learn for all levels of experience but it doesn't take away from the level of competition in the gym. The live training is intense and is a great opportunity to test your skills against other great opponents that you can still learn and train with afterwards. I'd recommend anyone who is considering training in the stand up or ground game to check out Legacy and see for themselves what it's all about. I personally have been training here for over a year and half and still love coming here to this day.

From the owner: Showcasing our amazing kickboxing classesread more